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Martin bans liquor HOWARD'S BLUEPRINT |
Ashleigh Wilson Publication: The Australian (004,Fri 06 Jul 2007)
NORTHERN Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin has finally responded to the crisis in Aboriginal communities, banning alcohol in the dysfunctional town camps of Alice Springs to reduce violence. The move, announced in Darwin late yesterday, represents the first significant policy announcement by the Territory Government following the report it commissioned into child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities. Ms Martin was accused of failing to appreciate the urgency of the problem when the report was made public two weeks ago, saying she would wait more than a month to respond to its 97 recommendations, despite receiving an early copy of the findings. The delay prompted the federal Government to announce a commonwealth intervention in the Territory's indigenous communities, banning alcohol and pornography, scrapping the permit system and quarantining welfare payments for Aborigines.
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